• 29-year-old Rochelle Niemeijer ranked first for the Young Inventors Prize at the European Inventor Award 2024, coming first out of three finalists 
• The European Patent Office (EPO) honours the young Dutch inventor for developing a fast, affordable and data-driven diagnostic tool to identify bacterial infections, thus improving treatment options 
• Niemeijer’s invention focuses on the most common type of infection, urinary tract infections, which affect more than 400 million people annually 

MUNICH – The European Patent Office (EPO) announced that 29-year-old Dutch scientist Rochelle Niemeijer ranked first for the Young Inventors Prize at the European Inventor Award 2024, winning 20,000 EUR, for her artificial intelligence-based (AI) portable miniature chemistry lab to quickly identify bacteria causing infections like urinary tract infections. Ukrainian Valentyn Frechka ranked second with his sustainable paper-making solution and is set to receive 10,000 EUR, while Tunisians Khaoula Ben Ahmed, Ghofrane Ayari, Souleima Ben Temime, and Sirine Ayari came in third with their smart wheelchair control system, receiving 5,000 EUR, according to the official website of EPO. 

“Making novel diagnostic technologies like ours accessible to patients requires trust and support. Receiving the Young Inventor's Prize from the EPO is a big step on our journey to earning that trust and transforming patient care,” says Rochelle Niemeijer. 

More than 400 million people globally per year are affected by urinary tract infections (UTIs), with 50% - 60% of women experiencing at least one UTI in their lives. Consequently, a lot of treatment is carried out without adequate diagnosis, or antibiotics are overused – a major concern that Niemeijer sought to address. 
Enhancing healthcare with AI 

“A future where we cannot treat infections with existing antibiotics is not far off if we don’t change our behavior soon. The antibiotics field is moving slowly, and the development of new antibiotics is slower than the rise of resistant bacteria. To preserve the efficacy of existing and new antibiotics, we need to make sure we use them correctly – our test is made to facilitate that,” explains Niemeijer.  

Niemeijer’s MedTech start-up Nostics has raised EUR 10 million to build fast, affordable, and data-driven diagnostic tools in the form of a hand-held platform for doctors to address this issue. This AI-enhanced device quickly identifies bacteria, aiding in precise antibiotic prescription. It combines Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) chips (laser technology) with artificial intelligence-powered digital software, identifying bacteria in 15 minutes without expensive lab equipment or expertise.  

This versatile technology is suitable for resource-limited settings and point-of-care tests and can be scaled to different needs. Nostics aims to expand its application to detect sexually transmitted diseases, fungal infections, and bloodstream infections. 

All the winners of the 2024 edition of the European Inventor Award were announced at a hybrid ceremony in Malta. You can stream the ceremony online. 

Next generation of the Young Inventors Prize in 2025 to take place in Iceland 

During today's ceremony in Malta, the European Patent Office (EPO) was excited to announce a new concept for the award, starting in 2025. From next year onward, the award will be held biennially, with the upcoming edition focusing on young innovators below 30 years old whose inventions address one or more United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). An independent jury of former finalists will evaluate the entries, ensuring a fair and insightful selection process that honors the innovative spirit and achievements of the next generation of inventors. The 2025 edition will be celebrated in Iceland, marking the first of these newly biennial-focused awards, and the nomination period for all technological fields remains open from today until the end of September. 

In alternating years, starting in 2026, the EPO will return to the original concept of the European Inventor Award, featuring its traditional categories of ‘Industry’, ‘Research’, ‘SMEs’, ‘Non-EPO countries’, ‘Lifetime Achievement’ and ‘Popular Prize’.